(745 ILCS 55/4) (from Ch. 111 1/2, par. 4144)

Sec. 4. Confidentiality. All proceedings and communications of a peer review or a quality assessment and assurance committee shall be privileged and confidential and shall not be revealed except pursuant to specific written procedures of the sponsoring organization.

The proceedings and records of such a committee shall be held in confidence, and shall not be subject to discovery or introduction into evidence in any civil action against a long-term care professional or facility arising out of the matters which are the subject of evaluation and review by such committee. In addition no person who was in attendance at a meeting of such committee shall be required to testify in any such civil action as to any evidence or other matters produced or presented during the proceedings of such committee or as to any findings, recommendations, evaluations, opinions, or other actions of such committee or any members thereof. However, information, documents or records otherwise available from original sources shall not be construed as immune from discovery or use in any such civil action merely because they were presented during proceedings of such committee, nor shall any person who testifies before such committee or who is a member of such committee be prevented from testifying as to matters within his knowledge, but such witness may not be asked about his testimony before such a committee or opinions formed by him or her as a result of such committee hearings.

Any person or long-term care provider who is reviewed by a peer review or quality assessment and assurance committee shall be permitted to review any records, charges, findings, or determinations made by such committee.

(Source: P.A. 86-1198.)